New Ape Bits

[PNGwynne]

Checked my medieval customs today, CTVT pleather finally disintegrating. *sigh* Sad, these were nice kitbashes.

[apes3978]

@scott metzger,

Thanks for that info. While interesting to know, it's making me less likely to buy any footwear (boots/shoes) from them, except maybe their APE General boots and their Dr. Zaius knockoff boots which appear to be soft plastic? (If they're not, scott or Confessional or anybody else reading this thread, please chime in...)

[scott metzger]

@Confessional,

You mentioned the FTC rubber boots and the catapult wheel and melting, and I have to ask: Which melted, the boots or the catapult wheel (or both)?

Also, here's a question along the same lines, but it pertains to the new Mego figures and their footwear: Have you had any issues with the new Mego boots (such as on Ursus and the Soldier Apes) causing any melt issues, since they're rubber and not plastic like the originals were?

The FTC/CTVT boots will melt right on the figure. I seriously doubt any Starfire from FTC will come these days without the feet melted into the boots. I got a couple bagged figures for the yellow/orange bodies, and tried to pull the boots off, managing to also remove both half disintegrated feet in the process. Anyone with the soft, rubbery boots is going to have trouble. I don't think the Mego boots will have that problem, as they feel like a very different vinyl, more like what was used on the Mattel Retro Heroes (and those have held up fine).

[Confessional]

^^ Bonded together, but the wheel revealed the melt after separation.

The FTC boots are very soft rubber. So far the harder rubber Mego bits seem stable… no reactions yet.

[apes3978]

Here's a new issue. These rubber boots (https://www.classictvtoys.com/pairof...ots-1-1-3.aspx) degas and will melt/stick to vintage ABS. I had a Soldier Ape with a pair of these barely touching a catapult wagon wheel, resulting in goo after a few weeks.

@Confessional,

You mentioned the FTC rubber boots and the catapult wheel and melting, and I have to ask: Which melted, the boots or the catapult wheel (or both)?

Also, here's a question along the same lines, but it pertains to the new Mego figures and their footwear: Have you had any issues with the new Mego boots (such as on Ursus and the Soldier Apes) causing any melt issues, since they're rubber and not plastic like the originals were?

[Confessional]

^^ I've used that strategy too, climate control, the whole deal… even if that can/could mitigate storage issues, its can't negate the exposures in packaging and transport. As such, some items persist while other spontaneously degrade.

Here's a new issue. These rubber boots (https://www.classictvtoys.com/pairof...ots-1-1-3.aspx) degas and will melt/stick to vintage ABS. I had a Soldier Ape with a pair of these barely touching a catapult wagon wheel, resulting in goo after a few weeks.

[scott metzger]

THe trick with the CTVT apes stuff with the pleather is to get it when it's fresh. I got some of those when they first came out and, having been in a an air conditioned house, they've held up fine. Stuff I got later, stuff that had been sitting in the warehouse for a while, that fell apart if you gave it a dirt look. Now I don't know about major long term survival (even good pleather can start peeling given enough time), but anything that's been there a while is likely to be iffy. Same for plastic stuff; split boots and belts from dried out plastic have plagued a few of my CTVT purchases.

[LonnieFisher]

I bought an EMCE Klingon to make a custom figure with the new Mego Klingon, and the uniform was in great shape until I opened it and touched it. The vinyl sloughed apart within seconds. That really sucked. He was kind of expensive.

[Krypt0nite]

I have a vintage Mego Gorn which sat in a box in a barn with no temperature control in South Alabama for over twenty years and suffered no deterioration at all. I bought the newer EMCE Klingon just for the uniform to 'upgrade' the Gorn, and the vintage uniform actually looked better than the newer one which immediately disintegrated upon being opened

[Confessional]

^^ I haven't had any issues with EMCE/Doc bits, but others have.

If the materials are exposed to moisture or experience trapped humidity (as I wrote about on page 2), it could happen to any contemporary vinyl/pleather products. This could also happen post production and packaging if you kept something in the packaging and sun and/or heat exposure resulted in condensation. Basically once the glue is compromised, it all goes to hell over time.

<Cheers!> again to the vintage soft goods that you can dye, distress and otherwise abuse without such results.

[apes3978]

To be fair, I've had some DM/Emce items degrade, too: repro Klingon tunics and Cornelius' tabard.

I bought an EMCE Klingon in a never opened package about a year ago, and the tunic started to crumble with very light handling.

Do either of you (or anybody else reading this) have any idea if this degrading and/or crumbling applies to the Gorilla outfits Doc Mego is currently selling on his website?

[Krypt0nite]

I bought an EMCE Klingon in a never opened package about a year ago, and the tunic started to crumble with very light handling.

[Megotastrophe]

I think it’s the lack of toxic lead and cadmium and asbestos and all those other deadly toxic things that toy manufacturers used to use on literally everything. Now all of this safe stuff just doesn’t hold up.

[PNGwynne]

A lot of their newer clothing is well-made. But their pleather, vinyl, and silicone items are problematic. There's been lengthy discussion here of their storage in Florida.

To be fair, I've hade some DM/Emce items degrade, too: repro Klingon tunics and Cornelius' tabard. I don't doubt that we'll see new Mego items with problems in a few years--I think it is the integrity of the materials chosen and not just the storage.

[Confessional]

I see they are still selling the blue General's tunic and the gloves too… should have been a Consumer Protection Safety Commission recall on these!